cataclysm-blue-posts
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Ghostcrawler responds to heroic dungeon difficulty complaints
Lead Systems Designer Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street posted an entry on his blog yesterday called "Wow, Dungeons are Hard!" It's a rather lengthy (but worthwhile) read about the current state of Cataclysm heroics, Blizzard's philosophy on designing them, his impressions on their current difficulty level, and some advice for improving your performance. Like I said, it's an epic post, and we won't reprint the whole thing here. This, however, is the key takeaway: Wow, Dungeons are Hard! The bottom line is that we want Heroics and raids to be challenging, and that is particularly true now while the content is new and characters are still collecting gear. They're only going to get easier from here on out. We want players to approach an encounter, especially a Heroic encounter, as a puzzle to be solved. We want groups to communicate and strategize. And by extension, we want you to celebrate when you win instead of it being a foregone conclusion. On the other hand, we don't want you to stumble your way to victory. We don't want you to be able to overwhelm bosses without noticing or caring what they're doing. We don't want healers to be able to make up for all of the mistakes on the part of the other players. While at the end of the day, dungeons may just be gussied up loot vending machines, we want you to do more than push a button to get the loot. Ultimately, we don't want to give undergeared or unorganized groups a near guaranteed chance of success, because then the content will feel absolutely trivial for players in appropriate gear who communicate, cooperate, and strategize. source All that being said, though, is Blizzard really satisfied with its dungeon designs and their current level of difficulty? Hard heroics are indeed hard, but the updated PTR patch notes for 4.0.6 (which went live just yesterday at almost the exact same time Ghostcrawler was discussing heroics) indicate that a series of nerfs is coming our way. That will no doubt lead to player rejoicing, but remember -- heroics are naturally getting easier as people get more familiar with them and players continue to compile better gear, which makes completion even easier still.
Special version of the Cataclysm LP now available on iTunes
One of the best yet tragically unappreciated parts of Cataclysm is its new music. There's that awesome track where it's like, "dun dun DUN dunnnnn," and then that other one where it's like, "whooooooosh bah bah bahh bah bahhhh BAH," and the other one ... uh ... Yeah, so anyway, this doesn't work so well via text. But good news -- you can now enjoy it digitally in a way that doesn't involve my converting sound to text! The Cataclysm LP soundtrack -- 17 epic cuts full of "dun" and "bah" -- is now available at the iTunes store. And if that's not enough, you get all sorts of awesome bonus content. So says Blizzard: Cataclysm LP Now Available on iTunes Want to bring the music from the latest World of Warcraft expansion with you anywhere you go? The World of Warcraft: Cataclysm soundtrack is now available as an iTunes LP from the iTunes Store, featuring 17 eminently epic tracks as well as special bonus content including artwork, liner notes, and behind-the-scenes interviews. If you previously purchased a copy of the Cataclysm soundtrack album from iTunes prior to the release of this special LP version, don't worry -- you'll be able to receive the bonus content at no additional charge. For more information or to purchase the Cataclysm soundtrack LP, visit the iTunes Store. source And while you're there at iTunes, why not take a moment to subscribe to the WoW Insider podcast? Just saying ...
The Daily Blues
Each day, WoW Insider takes you through all the blue posts and other Blizzard news from around the internet. From the latest posts from Ghostcrawler (lead systems designer) to the lowdown on StarCraft 2 and Diablo 3, we'll keep you informed. Today there are a couple blue posts, but nothing earth-shattering. Remember that a lot of the blues are probably on vacation already, and this week tends to be kind of slow, historically. If there's not a lot of blue news tomorrow, we probably won't run The Daily Blues and instead save everything for Friday or Saturday.
Cataclysm Beta: Arena Season 9 available for testing
Bashiok has just posted that the Cataclysm beta is now host to Arena Season 9. The developers are looking to test arena games and the bugs therein, as well as the much-lauded rated battlegrounds. Fire up those betas for some awesome PvP action. Bashiok -- Arena Season 9 Available for Testing Arena Season 9 is now running and available for testing in the Cataclysm beta. To help facilitate testing we'd like to ask that those interested in providing bug reports and feedback focus on playing arena games, but also participating in the rated battlegrounds. Please let us know if you find any issues or have any feedback. Thanks. source
Cataclysm Beta: New guild achievements added in patch 12984
Patch 12984, the latest Cataclysm beta build, just crash landed across the net, and MMO-Champion is mining out the latest changes. Included in the changes are a bunch of new or tweaked guild achievements. Here are some examples: Realm First! Nefarian First guild on the realm to defeat Nefarian in Blackwing Descent on heroic difficulty while in a guild group. United Nations Raise 55 reputations to exalted. Reward: Dark Phoenix Hatchling. You've Been Iced Figure it out. Perhaps the readers can actually help explain to me what "you've been iced" means. I wasn't aware there were bros in Azeroth yet, but I guess after all those popped collars on the priest tier 10, it was bound to happen. Hit the jump for the full list from MMO-Champion.
The Daily Blues: Camo looking badass -- not bug
Each day, WoW.com takes you through all the blue posts and other Blizzard news from around the internet. From the latest posts from Ghostcrawler (lead systems designer) to the lowdown on StarCraft 2 and Diablo 3, we'll keep you informed. Ghostcrawler's words, not mine. Table of contents Ghostcrawler Other StarCraft 2 / Diablo 3 / Activision-Blizzard news
The Daily Blues: Zul'Gurub is gone as a raid instance come Cataclysm
Each day, WoW.com takes you through all the blue posts and other Blizzard news from around the internet. From the latest posts from Ghostcrawler (lead systems designer) to the lowdown on StarCraft 2 and Diablo 3, we'll keep you informed. In which Zul'Gurub is gone. Table of contents Ghostcrawler Other StarCraft 2 / Diablo 3 / Activision-Blizzard news
Totem Talk: Questions, blue quotes and healing waves
Want to be a sultan of swing healing? A champion of Chain Heal? Totem Talk: Restoration will show you how, brought to you by Joe Perez, otherwise known as Lodur from World of Matticus and the For The Lore podcast . Last week, we talked about the new shaman healing spell Healing Rain, a great new spell that is offering us a new option in our healing arsenal. While the visuals may be lackluster when not turned all the way up, the general response has been favorable to our new rain dance. This week, I thought we would discuss some new information handed down by Ghostcrawler (Blizzard's lead system designer) about restoration shaman. I felt it would also be appropriate to talk about the other "new" heals we are getting in Cataclysm and how they affect our current toolbox. I am talking about Greater Healing Wave and Healing Wave. Cataclysm promises healers choice in the spells they cast, with appropriate consequences if they pick the wrong spell for the encounter. Understanding how these new spells function in relation to the other tools in our healing kit can make a big difference on the choices we make when deciding what heal to use.
Totem Talk: Mastery and totems and crabs, oh my!
Want to be a sultan of swing healing? A champion of Chain Heal? Totem Talk: Restoration will show you how, brought to you by Joe Perez, otherwise known as Lodur from World of Matticus and the For The Lore podcast Last week we talked a little bit about the leveling experience in Cataclysm so far as a restoration shaman from 80 on up. I was pleased to find out that it wasn't much slower than pure DPS and afforded a leveling, healing shaman quite a bit of survivability to get through the quests and to take on opponents much larger than we are. I was also pleased to see epic quests that seemed to have healers in mind, like the Ragnaros quest event. Before that, we talked about how fast gear is being replaced come Cataclysm and what type of upgrades have been spotted so far. This past week has not been filled with as much excitement as others before it. There hasn't been too much in the way of earth-shattering news, but even so, some new information has been popping up regarding some more changes coming in Cataclysm, complete with an appearance by our main underwater dweller himself, Ghostcrawler (Blizzard's lead systems designer). Take a look after the break to see what is new.
The Daily Blues: "That's the way I roll."
Each day WoW.com will take you through all the blue posts and other Blizzard news from around the internet. From Ghostcrawler's latest posts to the lowdown on StarCraft II and Diablo III, we'll keep you informed. There's a new beta patch out tonight. Does this mean we're getting to see our first look at 31-point talents tonight? It'll be a "wild ride," says Ghostcrawler around 6:30 p.m. PDT. Ghostcrawler -- Buckle up. That's the way I roll. Buckle up. Tonight's going to be a wild ride with all the new talent info out. source Ghostcrawler -- This. Quote: He's on a yacht in the tropics, sitting on his THRONE OF LIES (complete with cup holder), drinking gin from a coffee mug (decorated with a picture of all ten classes wailing and gnashing their teeth), all while watching his pony peacefully wander the deck. This. source Table of Contents Ghostcrawler Other StarCraft II / Diablo III / Activision-Blizzard News
Scattered Shots: Will Cataclysm lower our global cooldown?
Welcome to Scattered Shots, written by Frostheim of Warcraft Hunters Union and the Hunting Party Podcast. Each week, Frostheim uses logic and science mixed with a few mugs of Dwarven Stout to look deep into the hunter class. Got hunter questions? Feel free to email Frostheim. We recently got an exciting tidbit of hunter news from Ghostcrawler (lead systems designer) about potential chances in Cataclysm. You may have missed it, since it was buried in the warrior forums, of all places: Ghostcrawler - Lead Systems Designer Lowering the GCD is as close to anything on the never list. We will possibly do it for hunters, but that is because their resource system is going to prevent them from ever spamming multiple buttons at once (in the same way rogues have a lower GCD). Even with rage normalization there are going to be times when a warrior is at 100 rage and can unload with multiple attacks at once. The GCD is there for a reason, partially for game balance and partially to keep the server - client communication from getting gummed up. source Why hello there, tasty one-second global cooldown of scrumtiousness! This is of course not definite, not a promise and just something they are considering. But considering it they are, and if you were to put on your Frostheim Goggles and look into the future, you too would predict that a one-second hunter GCD will indeed come to pass. So what exactly might this (possible) change mean? Let's do some speculating after the cut.
The Daily Blues: Happy Birthday, Zarhym!
Each day WoW.com will take you through all the blue posts and other Blizzard news from around the internet. From Ghostcrawler's latest posts to the lowdown on StarCraft II and Diablo III, we'll keep you informed. We haven't posted The Daily Blues this week because the blues have been so quiet, obviously working hard on Cataclysm and related content. But today is something special -- the birthday of Zarhym, who turns 29. So happy birthday to our blue-tinted friend, may all your drops be epic. Go wish him a happy birthday. Table of Contents Ghostcrawler Other StarCraft II / Diablo III / Activision-Blizzard News
Cataclysm Class Changes: Mage Analysis
Man, you go out of town for a few days and look what happens: Mages get Bloodlust and a warlock adulterates the mage column. Remind me never to do that again. We'll look at the Cataclysm class preview in more detail in the coming weeks in warlock-free (I promise) verisons of Arcane Brilliance, but for now, let me unload some of my initial reactions on you. New spells Three spells were announced, and only one is a mechanic we're really familiar with. Time Warp, which enters our arsenal at level 83, appears to be akin to what is arguably the single best raid buff in the game: Bloodlust/Heroism. One key difference exists, though, and that is that Time Warp will also turn mages, briefly, into rogues. Rogues in silly dresses. I really, really hope that this speed increase: is significant enough to make mages into truly mobile casters, both in PvP and PvE. I don't want a rehash of Blazing Speed, which was a fun mechanic that simply wasn't powerful enough, doesn't share a cooldown with Icy Veins (or whatever that talent's Cataclysm equivalent ends up being), or better yet, stacks with it, so as not to render that beloved spell redundant, and lasts long enough that it's worth blowing the cooldown either during the burndown phase of a fight (if somebody else isn't already using Heroism/Bloodlust) or during a high-mobility phase of a fight, simply for the haste bonus. I'm incredibly excited about this spell, because of the three new ones, it's the only one we can safely say (with what we know now) will actually be awesome. We already know this spell's core mechanic works, and if the movement speed increase is worthwhile, this could truly be the defining spell of the expansion for mages.
